The final curtain for Earls Court: last gig at legendary music venue this weekend as bulldozers are set to move in over Christmas

End of an era: the historic Earls Court venue has hosted the world's biggest artists and sporting stars

London indie rock band Bombay Bicycle Club have promised to do “justice” to some of the biggest names in music when they perform the last show at Earls Court tomorrow before demolition teams start to knock it down.

The concert will bring to an end 77 years of performances and exhibitions at one of Britain’s best known venues, where acts have included Pink Floyd, Queen, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Arctic Monkeys and the Spice Girls.

The band’s guitarist Jamie MacColl said: “It’s rare that you get the opportunity to be the final full stop in the history of such a culturally significant venue. We hope to do those who came before us justice.”

The west London centre has hosted events such as the Ideal Home Show, the BRIT awards, the London Boat Show and the Royal Tournament as well as the volleyball competition at the 2012 London Olympics. Earlier this month it hosted the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, the first time it had been held in London.

It first opened its doors to the public for the Chocolate and Confectionery Exhibition on September 1 1937, although there had been a show ground on the site since 1887.

Preparatory work on the 18-month long demolition will start over Christmas with the removal of a bridge over an adjacent railway line.

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Talk show

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In the ring

Freddie Mills fights Joey Maxim for the World light heavyweight title at the Earls Court Empress Hall in 1950

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Ideal Home Exhibition

Front cover of the 1939 Daily Mail Ideal Home Exhibition catalogue

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Earls Court 2

Earls Court 2 building, London in 1991(Picture: Rexscanpix)

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Model venue

Vicki Hodge flaunts her figure in a black and white shoot

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On the slopes

Christine Rampling tries out the indoor ski run at Earls Court at the dry ski school run by Simpsons of Piccadilly

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Under construction

New exhibition hall under construction at Earls Court

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Ballot

Scene at Earl's Court during vote for European Community membership referendum in 1975 (Picture: Rexscanpix)

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Carry on camping

The International Caravan and camping exhibition in November 1969 (Picture: Rexscanpix)

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Skating

Figure Skater Cecilia Colledge (2nd from the right) at a figure skating event in March 1937
(Picture: Rexscanpix)

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Lounging around

Susie Li and Anne Ho at the London International Boat Show in 1971 (Picture: Rexscanpix)

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Computer generated image

Earls Court Exhibition Centre is pictured here with a computer generated frontage - as the arena plans to rebuild the iconic curved frontage and turn it into an all-night casino

Contractors Keltbray will begin to take down the unlisted Art Deco structure itself in February when the roof will be lowered into the building. Most of the rubble from the building will be crushed and reused in the regeneration of the area.

Earls Court’s owner property group Capco plan to create an £8 billion new London quarter on the site of the exhibition centre and more than 70 acres of surrounding land.

Capco also owns the nearby Olympia London exhibition and conference centre and says 80 per cent of the annual events held as Earls Court have moved over to its sister venue. The cavernous 450,000 sq ft main Earls Court 1 has also proved less popular in recent years with event organisers looking for smaller, more flexible venues. All staff at Earls Court will also transfer to Olympia, a Capco spokeswoman said.

Gary Yardley, Capco’s investment director, said: “She’s a grand old lady but this is the start of a fantastic new future. It’s such a massive site for central London, it is a chance to do something special.”

The project involves the construction of 7,500 new homes, including 1,500 classified as affordable, as well as a new high street, a new primary school and transport improvements.

However, it has been opposed by some residents on the Gibbs Green and West Kensington council estates, whose homes are being knocked down as part of the regeneration. They have been offered new houses and flats in the first phases of the redevelopment.

Artis Duggie Fields, who has been involved in a campaign to save the exhibition centre backed by stars such as fashion designers Bella Freud and Ozwald Boateng and Frankie Goes to Hollywood lead singer Holly Johnson, said the demolition means “this part of London will become a cultural void.”